12:38PM: The Padres officially promoted Bachar, and optioned right-hander Logan Gillaspie to Triple-A. Matthew Batten was also outrighted to Triple-A after clearing waivers; Batten was designated for assignment earlier this week.
9:21AM: The Padres will add right-hander Lake Bachar to the active roster prior to today’s game with the Mets, according to Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune (X link). Bachar was added to the 40-man roster earlier this month, so the Padres will just have to make one corresponding move to free up space on the 26-man.
The 40-man roster placement came about due to an opt-out clause Bachar triggered in his minor league deal, as the Padres selected that contract in order to keep him in the organization. The 29-year-old righty was a fifth-round pick for the Padres in 2016, and is now seemingly in line to make his Major League debut in his ninth pro season. Bachar’s resume consists of seven years on the field plus two lost years in 2020-21 — the pandemic wiped out the 2020 minor league season, and Bachar underwent a Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for all of 2021.
Understandably, Bachar showed some rust when he returned to action in 2022, but he rebounded with a 2.69 ERA over 60 1/3 relief innings for Double-A San Antonio in 2023. This earned Bachar his first promotion to Triple-A this season, and he has produced a 4.12 ERA, 27.6% strikeout rate, and 10.6% walk rate across 67 2/3 innings for the El Paso affiliate. Bachar has allowed 11 homers this year, but all things considered, his numbers have been pretty decent for a fly-ball pitcher in a very hitter-friendly league.
As Saunders noted in another piece back in April, Bachar’s turn-around in 2023 was aided by his development of a splitter. Adding this third pitch along with his 94-97mph fastball and a slider with a lot of horizontal break put Bachar on the path that has now brought him to San Diego’s MLB roster. Even if this might be a “cup of coffee” type of call-up to get a fresh arm into the Padres’ bullpen for a few days, Bachar can officially call himself a big leaguer once he gets into a game.
Padres now 12-23 in games I attend. I’ll be at the game today, but have grown a stubble beard to be in disguise
It’s not them, it’s you… Jk jk
Make sure to go with the Bobby Valentine Mustache and Sunglasses disguise kit!
will try anything if it helps them win
So, after my mom died, you are the curse! The last couple years of her life, she was 0-11
Hahahaha!
Brew – the curse is broken!
I’ll be in St Louis tomorrow so wish me luck!
@LT. The curse has been figured out, I’m going full beard rest of season. We’re still sitting in our seats, don’t want to leave. Still processing what we just saw.
Merrill and Profar are truly special individuals with ice in their veins.
Hope the rest of the lineup ignites in StL! Have fun.
Brew, before I say this, I know every team has ifs and buts and if they were candy and nuts….
Your mention of JP and JM just make me say, if Tatis and Yu (continued Joe) perform like they are supposed to in Sept / October, this could get exciting for sure. Manny has been back to his “back of the card” self the last 3-4 weeks. Big too.
Looks like Pro, JM, Manny and Tatis if he comes back soon will get SD 4 20 guys after all is said and done – no, no one saw 2 of them coming!
13-23 now. I’m not shaving until season is over
Playoff hockey time! Love it
LFGSD
Well, I happen to have a beard!
your stubble beard worked… finally! in the final 2 innings.
maybe you left early LOL
Welcome to the show, Luke!
Lake
Ugh. My bad
Luck?
The names these days. I’m waiting for MLB debuts from Doorknob Brown and Carburetor McKenzie.
Right? Talked to a guy named Brian at work the other day. He literally spelled it B-r-I-y-a-n. So bizarre
Logan will be the guy going down.
Paul or Allen?
Both… If we’re lucky
How does a career minor leaguer get an opt-out in his contact? Well, good for him and seems to have worked out.
Minor leaguers with six years of service can sign minor league contracts with opt-outs. The king of minor league opt-outs is Julio Teheran. I think he’s opted out with five different clubs now … twice this year already.
“Career minor leaguer”…Opt outs are fairly standard in today’s MLB minor league deals. If his agent didn’t already add one, MLB added opt out dates(I believe early in the season for APRIL/MAY)for virtually everyone on a minor league deal. Without opt outs on MLB minor league deals, a team could keep viable players on ice in the minors(for depth)for the whole season.
Update: Bachar sent back down (after 1 game sitting in bullpen) to make room for Vasquez, who will start in todays game in STL